Railway-terminal transfer and switch yard



(No Model.)

No.'517,,'110. 7 'P'mitd Mar. 27,1894.

JAMES D. MILLAR, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

RAILWAY-TERMINAL TRANSFER AND SWITCH YARD.

ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,110, dated March27, 1894.

Application filed May 20, 1893. Serial No- 474,927- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES D. MILLAR, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway- Terminal Transfer and Switch Yards; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full,- clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The main objects of my invention are to facilitate the handling andtransfer of freight of a number of roads or divisions centering at anypoint; to relieve individual railway companies of the burden andannoyance of switching and making up their own-trains, and to preventblockades which frequently occur at large railway centers.

It consists essentially of two or more-lines of endless tracks locatedone within another; one or more radiating tracks running into the spacewithin the inner endless track and affording entrance to the yard forincoming trains; a number of side tracks located within the innerendless track and connected therewith and with the incoming radiatingtracks by a suitable system of switches, and a number of tracks arrangedbetween and connected with the endless tracks by switches and affordingyard room for the storage of cars and trains of the various intersectingroads.

The accompanying drawing shows in diagram a system of tracks embodyingmy invention.

A, A and A represent three lines of endless tracks which may beconveniently constructed in concentric circles, and each composed of anynumber of parallel tracks according to the amount of traffic to beprovided for. The number of lines and their distance from each other mayalso be varied according to the amount of business to be done.

B B are tracks connecting the outer endless line of track A with theyard space within the inner endless line of track A, and connected withthe several endless tracks at their intersection therewith by suitableswitches.

O 0 represent side tracks located within the inner line of endless trackA, and connected therewith and with the lines B B'of approach, byswitches. These tracks alford the necessary facilities for receivingtrains from the various intersecting roads, breaking them up,transferring cars from one road to another, and making up trains for thevarious roads; all of which is intended to be done by a separatecompany, organized and equipped to operate the terminal.

The entire space within the inner endless line of track A, or only suchportion thereof as may be necessary to handle the business of theterminal, may be utilized for the tracks 0 0, except such space as isrequired for ofiices and sheds and for the storageof coal and othersupplies. The offices and sheds of the transfer company may beconveniently located at the center of the space at the intersection ofthe incoming tracks B B, as shown on the diagram at D, and spaces suchas are shown at E E, may be left at any convenient point or points forthe water supply and the storage of coal and other necessary supplies,which are preferably located adjacent to the main lines of entrancewithin the central yard space, and to which easy access is had byswitches from the main lines, which are kept clear for the purpose ofreceiving and transferring cars or trains.

F F are a series of tracks intersecting and connected with the endlesslines of track A, A and A between which they are constructed preferablyin radiating lines as shown. Access is had to either end of any of thesetracks by way of the endless tracks A, A and A for the purpose ofshunting trains or cars thereon or withdrawing them therefrom.

In the operationof my improved system, I contemplate that the transfercompany shall make up the trains for the several roads and set them onthe tracks F F, to be taken therefrom by the locomotives of theindividual companies for which they are made up, and that a certainamount of space, equipped with tracks FF, sufficient for the business ofeach intersecting road, shall be assigned thereto. It is also intendedthat in the operation of the system certain of the radiating tracks F Fshall be kept clear to facilitate access to all parts of the yard. It isobvious that all or any portion of the space between the outer and innerendless lines of track may be utilized for side tracks F F, as thebusiness may demand.

No special appliances are required for my improved system, the ordinaryrails, switches, 650., such as are in common use, being sufficient forits construction and operation.

a. a represent different railway lines connecting with the outer line ofendless track A. The areas in the corners of a circumscribed squarearound the outer circle of tracks may be utilized if desired,for repairshops, round houses, 1350.

According to the foregoing plan, tracks for a large volume of businesscan be advantageously arranged withinacomparativelysmall compass orarea, it being possible to utilize the entire space within the outerline of tracks. The space between the outer andinner lines of circularor endless tracks may be separated by radiating lines of track, such asthe main lines B Bot ingress and egress, or by arbitrary lines, intodivisions, and the several divisions operated bydepartments of a singleorganization or by separate. organizations, and the yard space and sidetracks of each division may be subdivided and the subdivisions allottedto different roads connecting therewith.

By the term endless track as employed herein, I intend to designate abelt line or. track upon whicha train starting at any point may make theentire circuit and return to that point without reversing its directionor switching back.

Various changes in the size of the yard and the number and arrangementof the tracks may be made, according to the exigencies of the locationwhere the system is installed.

I claim- 1. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising two or morelines of endless tracks arranged one within another, and a number oftracks arranged between them and connected therewith, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

2. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising two or more lines ofendless tracks arranged one within another, and connected with eachother by a number of intermediate tracks, and one or more lines ofingress and egress leading from the outer endless line of tracks to thearea within the inner line of endless tracks, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

3. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising two or more lines ofendless tracks arranged one within another and connected with each otherby a number'of: intermediate tracks, one or more lines of ingress andegress extending from the outerline of endless track intothe spacewithin the inner line of endless track and intersecting the intermediateline or lines of endless track, and a series of side tracks arranged inthe space within the inner line of endless, track and: connected withthe line or lines of ingress and: egress, substantiallyas and forthepurposesset forth.

4. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising two or more circularlines of track arranged one within another and connected with eachotherby a series of radiating tracks, and one or more radiating lines ofingress and egress extending from the outer circle to the center andconnected withthe interme diate track or tracks which it intersects, byswitches, substantially as and; for the purposes set forth.

5. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising two or more circularlines of track arranged one concentrically within and at a suitabledistance from another, and connected by a series of radiating tracks, anumber of radiating tracks connected with the several circular lines oftracks and extending from the outer circle into the area within theinner circle, and a series of side tracks arranged within the centralarea and connected by switches with one or more main lines of ingressand egress, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A railway transfer and switch yard, comprising one or more endlesstracks, and a system of side tracks and switches connected therewith andarranged within the area surrounded thereby, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. MILLAR. Witnesses:

CHAS. L. Goss, T. F. HAYDEN.

